The city is preparing to move ahead with full implementation of a body camera program for the Chelsea Police Department.
City Manager Thomas Ambrosino is seeking approval of the use of free cash from the city council to help pay for the program.
“The City negotiated the use of body cameras by the police in the last round of collective bargaining agreements with both Police Patrol Officers and Police Superior Officers,” stated Ambrosino. “Subsequent to the execution of those agreements, the Police Chief and the Unions agreed upon a Body Camera Policy, and a pilot program was successfully implemented in the past months. With the pilot complete, the City is prepared to move forward with full implementation.”
However, Ambrosino stated that the purchase of body cameras and storage requirements are not inexpensive.
“The City estimates that the first year costs for all equipment acquisition, software and storage will be approximately $330,000,” according to Ambrosino. “There will then be annual costs of approximately $150,000.”
Those annual costs will be included in the police department budgets starting in Fiscal Year 2024.
The city did receive a state grant for $107,400 to help with the first year costs. Ambrosino is seeking an appropriation of $225,000 from the city’s free cash reserve to cover the remainder of the startup costs.
The city council accepted Ambrosino’s request at its May 9 meeting, and moved the request forward for a second reading and possible approval at its next meeting.
Following the approval of the union contracts in the spring of 2021, Police Chief Brian Kyes said he and the members of the department were eager to implement the program.
“I strongly believe that body-worn cameras can help improve the high-quality public service that is expected of Chelsea Police Officers which will in turn promote the actual and perceived legitimacy, impartiality and sense of procedural justice that our community relies on from the men and women of the Chelsea Police Department,” Kyes said at the time. Kyes added that the body camera would help create an increased level of transparency and accountability with the ranks from the utilization of the equipment